The coordinating properties of a new bis(pyridylhydrazone) ligand derived from iminodiacetic acid diethyl ester and 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde (picolinaldehyde) H 3 Imdp and of the bis(salicylhydrazone) H 5 Imds and H 4 MeImds ligands derived, respectively, from iminodiacetic acid diethyl ester and from methyl-iminodiacetic acid diethyl ester and salicylaldehyde were considered, by means of analytical and spectroscopic methods, towards first row transition metal ions. These ligands showed various coordination modes in complexation with Cu(II), Co(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II) ions. In particular, we have synthesized and characterized, by analytical, 1 H NMR and IR techniques, tri-, di-and mononuclear metal complexes